When the family needs an attorney to help draft a will, pursue involuntary civil commitment, or secure guardianship of an incapacitated family member, locating a member of the bar who is familiar with this area of the law may present some problems. If there is an Alzheimer support group in the community, members may provide […]

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Alzheimer patients sometimes act in ways that bring them into conflict with criminal authorities. Such actions as wandering the streets and forgetting to wear proper clothing may attract the attention of police and other law enforcement personnel. In the criminal law there is generally a requirement that an individual must demonstrate criminal intent and know […]

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The power of attorney allows an individual to act through others; it permits the individual upon whom the power has been conferred by the court to make decisions pertaining to someone’s real and personal property as though the true owner had so decided. Some states do not allow a power of attorney to continue after […]

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Advance directive is a euphemism for outlining what a patient wants done or not done to preserve life when there is a terminal illness or the patient is in a persistent vegetative state. The advance directive is a way of respecting the wishes of a patient without having to obtain a guardian­ship. By federal law […]

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About 15 percent of adults in the United States provide special care for sick relatives, many of whom are seriously ill or disabled. This is a significant public health problem and shows that those family members who care for persons with diseases such as Alzheimer’s are not alone in their responsibilities. Society’s concern in the […]

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